Updated E-Commerce Platform Integrates People, Processes and Information for Advanced Multi-channel Integration and Extended Demand Chains
SOMERS, N.Y., April 27, 2004 -- IBM today announced WebSphere Commerce 5.6, a new version of its e-commerce software designed to better meet the on demand business needs of customers via enhancements that enable tighter integration across multiple sales channels, comprehensive extended demand chain functionality and single-platform support for multiple business models. Benefits of the new release include reduced total cost of ownership, improved ROI, enhanced business user experience, and an optimized solution for small and medium businesses.
The primary foundation for these improvements is the WebSphere Commerce Business Context Engine, which configures to automatically support a customer’s unique business model and enable them to develop customizable methods of interaction with their channel partners and customers.
“IBM has worked closely with customers and partners to ensure that this version of WebSphere Commerce will enable them to compete more effectively in the newly charged e-commerce market,” said Steve Mello, director IBM WebSphere Commerce. “WebSphere Commerce 5.6 has the tools to help B2B and B2C customers, either large or small businesses, to overcome challenges in order to provide the best customer experience possible with faster ROI.”
WebSphere Commerce 5.6 enables faster time to value and lower total cost of ownership through numerous enhancements including new Starter Stores that enable rapid implementation of e-commerce sites, and a new installation and migration process that reduces the number of manual steps required for installation and migration by 70 percent.
Additionally, significant time-on-task improvements and simplified user tools empower the business user to manage their commerce site with minimized IT support. Improvements include streamlined processes for segmenting a master catalog and redesigned promotion and campaign management capabilities. Commerce 5.6 also includes a new Extended Sites feature that increases partner satisfaction and loyalty while enabling manufacturers and large distributors to quickly and easily integrate with their partner network.
According to customers like Source Medical Corporation CIO John O`Connor, value and return on investment are important reasons they chose to switch to WebSphere Commerce. "We were at a real crossroads with our previous solution and made the decision to go with WebSphere Commerce," said O`Connor. "Because of the simplified Web-based development capabilities and J2EE environment we have been able to save money by in-sourcing much of our development and expect to see immediate ROI."
In addition, WebSphere Commerce 5.6 has enhanced capabilities for the mid-market with the Express version of the software. This unique technology caters to small and mid-sized businesses through a simplified offering for a comprehensive end-to-end solution with an affordable up-front investment. WebSphere Commerce-Express 5.6 reduces implementation time and effort, offers easier to use tools and enables companies to more easily customize their stores and to extend and grow at their own pace.
WebSphere Commerce is built on open standards, such as J2EE and Web services, and supports a variety of operating systems, including Linux. It features an open architecture based on a Java programming model, making it simple for developers to add or customize features to meet their specific needs. The infrastructure is built on IBM software products, including WebSphere Application Server and DB2 Universal Database.
Availability and Pricing
WebSphere Commerce-Express 5.6, designed for small and mid-sized businesses, is priced at $20,000 (US) per processor, and includes licensing for development, staging, and production. WebSphere Commerce Professional Edition 5.6, which increases site functionality for B2B businesses and B2C retailers, is priced at $80,000 (US) per processor. WebSphere Commerce Business Edition 5.6 is for large, high-volume B2B and advanced B2C e-commerce, is priced at $125,000 (US) per processor. All editions, generally available on April 30, 2004, work with an integrated development environment that includes WebSphere Studio tooling enhanced for WebSphere Commerce. Additional information is available at: www.ibm.com/software/commerce
IBM Corporation
IBM is the world`s largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. IBM Software offers the widest range of e-business infrastructure software, or middleware, for all types of computing platforms, allowing customers to take full advantage of the new era of e-business. The fastest way to get more information about IBM software is through the IBM Software home page at http://www.software.ibm.com
Additional Quotes
Ojibwe Cultural Foundation
“The Ojibwe Cultural Foundation is excited to be working with IBM on its e-culture initiative to promote commerce, cultural workshops and cooperation across our First Nation communities. WebSphere Commerce has enabled us to not only sell our crafts online to consumers and galleries, but also to educate the world about our history and our culture through an online communications network.”
Steven Fox-Radulovich, project manager, Ojibwe Cultural Foundation.
Resolution, Inc.
“Before WebSphere the only e-commerce solution we could offer our clients was a basic shopping cart and nothing more. By implementing IBM`s WebSphere Commerce technology, Resolution, Inc. now has a complete end-to-end outsourcing offering that we did not have before. Our tightly integrated B2C and B2B solutions answer demands from cable companies and public broadcasters for a solution that offers advanced order and inventory management, for these two very different channels.”
Bruce Wallingford, vice president of information technology, Resolution, Inc.
SCS, Inc.
"IBM has taken a strong product and made it better. We’ve been able to provide tremendous high ROI solutions with Websphere Commerce. We are in the midst of implementing some Websphere Commerce V5.6 solutions now and have already noticed some strong improvements. For example, we have seen a significant reduction in our site development time. It takes 50% less time to start the test server, 85% less time to recycle it and it now consumes less than 30% the resources required in the previous version. In addition, the Commerce Accelerator business user tools have been significantly improved, providing an even more productive management metaphor, specifically in the discounts area, where all discounts are now managed in one unified area, making them much easier to manage.
“IBM is making it easier for SCS to be heroes for our customers by continuing to evolve Websphere Commerce as the best of breed eCommerce platform in the industry. Websphere Commerce V5.6 is proof of that.”
-Darrin Nelson, Vice President, Software and Services, SCS Inc.
Information Design, Inc.
“With WebSphere Commerce - Express we were able to provide an affordable solution that will allow Mike Castrucci Chevrolet to protect its investment as it grows. Smaller companies like this are constantly seeking ways to extend their IT dollars, and WebSphere Commerce - Express enables them to do exactly that. We were able to get the Mike Castrucci site up and running in just five weeks, but the time to value enhancements coming in Version 5.6 are significant and will allow us to deliver even better ROI to our customers in the future.”
-James A. Green, WebSphere Practice Leader, Information Design, Inc.
Partner References
SCS Inc.
Darrin D. Nelson
Vice President, Software & Services
585-787-2841
dnelson@scsinet.com
Information Design Inc.
Jim Greene
513-942-2400 ext. 245
Analyst References
Forrester
Carrie Johnson
(617) 613-6050
cjohnson@forrester.com
Andrew Bartels
516-869-0128
abartels@forrester.com
IT Analyst Relations
Martha Leversuch
IBM Software Group: WebSphere Products
(203) 486-4184
marthal@us.ibm.com
Contact:
Kerry Hall
Account Executive
Text 100 Public Relations
Global High Technology Public Relations
30 Hotaling Place, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
Tel: 415.593.8462
Fax: 415.836.5991
E-mail: kerryh@text100.com
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